Depression is sneaky that way. It doesn't look the same from person to person, which makes it really easy to brush off — including by the person going through it.

Sleep gets weird. Too much of it, or none. Things that used to matter stop feeling like they matter. Guilt shows up without a clear reason.

For some people it's sadness. For others it's more like being numb — existing but not living. Physical symptoms are common too. Headaches. Body aches. A heaviness that doesn't go away.

Major depressive disorder is what most people picture — the kind that makes getting through a Tuesday feel like climbing a wall. But there's also dysthymia, which is this persistent, lower-level depression that hangs around for years. People with dysthymia often just think that's how they are. They've never known anything different.

Postpartum depression, seasonal shifts, depression that shows up after a big loss or life change — these are all different in how they look, but they respond to treatment. That part's consistent.

None of it means something is permanently wrong with you.